Guidance

Childhood infections: migrant health guide

Advice and guidance on the health needs of migrant patients for healthcare practitioners.

Main messages

Ensure that migrant children are up to date with the UK immunisation schedule. Refer to the immunisations guidance in the migrant health guide for further advice.

Follow national guidelines to prevent the spread of infection in schools and other childcare settings, and report statutorily notifiable diseases.

Refer to the migrant health guide pages for more guidance on assessing migrant patients, children’s health and visiting friends and relatives abroad.

Background

Most childhood infections are vaccine preventable. The range of childhood infections that occur in children born in the UK may also occur in non-UK born children.

Some diseases may be more common in children born abroad, especially vaccine preventable diseases if they have not been fully immunised. Immunisation coverage and incidence of childhood diseases is highly variable throughout the world; see WHO for country specific information.

Ensure that migrant children are up to date with the UK immunisation schedule and refer to the immunisation algorithm for advice on immunising individuals with uncertain or incomplete immunisation status.

Many of the descriptions and images used to describe and demonstrate typical rashes associated with childhood infections are based on their appearance in white skin. Be aware that they may look different in pigmented skin.

Help to prevent the spread of infection by giving advice in accordance with infection control guidelines for schools and childcare facilities.

Be aware that many childhood infections are statutorily notifiable.

Resources

Read further information about individual childhood diseases:

Covered by UK immunisation schedule

Other diseases

See national guidance:

Updates to this page

Published 31 July 2014
Last updated 20 April 2021 + show all updates
  1. Updated links to immunisation guidance.

  2. First published.

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